Beauty brand brings in beer exec

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NEW YORK — The Estée Lauder Companies has appointed Michael O’Hare as the company’s EVP, global human resources. O’Hare will report jointly to executive chair William P. Lauder and president and CEO Fabrizio Freda.

O’Hare joins the Estée Lauder Companies from the Netherlands-based Heineken N.V., a family-controlled public company, where for the last four years he served as global chief human resources officer and a member of the executive committee. Working closely with Heineken’s board of directors, O’Hare led the company’s governance, compensation and talent development programs, establishing a top HR function supporting Heineken’s more than 85,000 employees across 70 countries. Additionally, he helped integrate acquired operations across Latin and South America, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Previously, O’Hare spent 13 years at PepsiCo, where he held a variety of senior HR roles, culminating in the position of chief personnel officer and VP for Asia Pacific. In this role, he oversaw all HR activities in the region, across more than 40 business units and joint ventures.

“I am very pleased to welcome Michael to the Estée Lauder Companies family. I am confident that his multi-faceted HR background will play an important role to help our Company continue to build, develop and grow our number one asset, our people,” said Lauder.

“Michael is a highly seasoned HR executive with broad global experience and an exceptional track record in building teams in new and emerging markets,” added Freda. “His deep understanding of organizational alignment will be integral to the ongoing implementation of our corporate strategy, which is a key to our future success.”

I am delighted to join the Estée Lauder Companies with its outstanding global reputation, incredibly creative and innovative people, and commitment to diversity and fostering success. I look forward to being a strategic partner to William Lauder, Fabrizio Freda and the global HR team, and to working closely with the Company’s brands, regions and functions to best support continued growth,” said O’Hare.

O’Hare was born in Northern Ireland and has lived and worked in Europe, the United States and Asia. After graduating from the University of Dundee in Scotland, he went on to receive a master’s of economics from the London School of Economics and a master’s of business administration from the University of Chicago.

O’Hare will succeed Amy DiGeso, who announced her intention to retire after almost a decade of leading the global HR function at the company. DiGeso and O’Hare will work closely together during the transition, and DiGeso will remain with the company as EVP and senior advisor to the executive chairman and the CEO through June 30, 2014.

“We are enormously grateful to Amy for the significant and enduring contributions that she has made to our company,” said Lauder, “We wish her well in her retirement and are pleased that she will remain with us to help transition Michael into his new role.”

“Amy has been an essential partner to me in the construction and implementation of our corporate alignment efforts. I have greatly valued her steady leadership and will miss her counsel. I wish her the very best in her well-earned retirement,” said Freda.